Ten years later
by Suichi Nawaki
Summary: Mouri Ran get kidnapped. Ten years later. Conan has become seventeen again. But there's this nagging feeling that Ran is still alive. Can Shinichi find the truth behind the kidnapping, with a contract-killer on the lose? Can he find his first love or is it too late?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

**i know! my last fanfic was a mess. but i decided to try again. if you find it even a teeny-weeny better than the last one, **

**then please review. here i go. wish me luck.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own none of the D.C characters. Only the plot is mine.**

**CHAPTER 1**: PUZZLE

Three people went missing.

**Ten years later...**

"Dad ….about me, you can forget about me." The words echoed into the empty room, which had been illuminated only by the cell phone's light. The light dimmed as a hand reached out to press the 'next' tab.

"Mom ,forget about me. Stop trying to find me." The same voice in the same dead tone. In Shinichi's mind, the memories of the incident of that awful night exactly ten years ago, rushed in painfully, numbing his brilliant mind, forcing him to stop using his grey matter for a minute. An unsolved, open case of missing person. He hesitated to play the next recording.

"Shinichi, please…forget about me." Though Ran's voice seemed as monotonous as in the last two recordings, the small gap in the recording showed hesitation. The message had been sent on Conan's number, suggesting that Ran knew his secret. And maybe that was the reason she left. Although he wanted to deny it, he knew, subconsciously it was his fault.

Today, ten years ago was the last time he'd heard Ran's voice.

Meanwhile, outside the corridors of his apartment, a shady figure hovered. In her hand was a small gift-wrapped parcel addressed to Edogawa Conan. She kept it on his door step and was about to ring the doorbell when she heard approaching footsteps. She immediately hid around the corner, and waited. As the footsteps neared, a smile slowly appeared on her face. The owner of the footsteps stopped before the detective's door and was about to ring the door bell when she saw the parcel. She picked it up and went on to ring the doorbell. But the stranger didn't wait. She went down the corridor towards the gate. As she walked away she heard the doorbell sing. She smirked. her work here was done.

**Six years after Ran's disappearance.**

**1****st**** of September**

**Somewhere in Alaska.**

The wild flowers with their wild scents all mixed up to create a perfect sleep-inducer. The murmurs of the stream singing a lullaby. The forget-me-nots nodding lazily in the cool breeze by the stream bank. Moonlight filtered through the pine needles. From somewhere in the dark, a song bird began to sing, breaking the silence of the forest with its hypnotic note. It was a perfect night.

She unwound the bandage which covered her arm and set it on fire. She sat, head on knees, as the flames licked up the cloth.

_Leave no evidence…_

Normally she would have been cautious but the ridge and the forest cut her from the view of the others. She waited for the bloodied piece of clothing to turn into ashes. She had to keep going. She covered her wound with fresh bandages. As she stood up, a blackbird shrieked away in terror. As she dusted her khakis, she noticed that her boot had crushed a clump of nodding pansies. She debated whether she should feel sorry or not.

_She laughed sadly._

The song bird sensing a human presence stopped its song. The girl's eyes saddened. She had chosen a life of killing – she wasn't allowed to have any remorse. She hanged the rifle on her shoulder. Strapped her gloves in her hand, pulled her red hood and marched on till the ridge. She lay flat on belly, her toes digging on the soft ground. She aimed. Through the night-vision eyepiece she could see, almost two kilometres away, the place where she'd camped till yesterday night.

_The hunt was on._

Then she heard it. The faint, but unmistakable barks of _her_ hounds.

The sound only meant one thing.

_Her …_

Oh! How she hated _her_…. Only sometimes though.

She gripped the trigger as she saw _her _step in the clearing. With a broad smile. As if _she_ was mocking her. Then as if _she_ could see her, _she_ smiled right at her direction.

_Demon_….the girl thought.

Now there was a choice to make. She could give up this dangerous game of tag, wave her white flag.

She bit her lower lip. She wasn't the type to surrender. How many days, no months had passed? Now the chill in the wind was heralding the coming of winter. Could she survive the Alaskan winter?

But she could turn it into a win. She looked on as the woman released the wolves. She waited for a chance. she took one out then another. Then she smiled. The wolves were dead. Would her pursuer give up?

Seeing the smile on _her_ face, the girl knew the answer was negative.

Yes. It would last till Christmas.

Haibara Ai sat alone in Shinichi's study room. She had come to check on Kudou–kun after ten long years. Then she had encountered a fan gift addressed to Conan on Kudou-kuns doorstep. When unpacked it had ravelled Mouri-san's cell phone. Now Kudou was off to headquarters like a madman, to sneak into Mouri-san's file leaving his friend, who had visited him after ten long years with the purpose of warning him about the org, alone! She sighed. She looked down at her legs which were hanging from the chair. She swung it back and forth. She sighed at her small body.

As years had passed she had started getting uncomfortable. For her growing up meant getting closer to being Sherry. She realised that she wanted to be 'Haibara Ai'. So at twenty she took the pill again.

-x-

Twenty minutes later in head quarters.

"Tagaki-san? Reporting after stake-out, eh?"

"Err…actually I came for some files…" he said nervously.

_Damn that Conan-kun. Where are you? I should never have agreed to it!._

"Keep up the work!" the unsuspecting man said cheerfully and then he got down at the second floor. As he exited a janitor entered the elevator.

He stood near him. And as soon as the sliding doors shut…..

"Tagaki-san thank-you for this…"

"What are you doing in the janitors clothes, Conan-kun?!" Tagaki didn't know that down, in the bathrooms of the ground floor, a sedated janitor was lying half-naked…

"Keep it low…the cameras….." he said softly.

"Why are you doing this?"

He didn't answer.

The elevator binged and they were on the fourth floor. They walked into Tagaki's office and he switched on the computer.

"Do you promise to tell me everything after this?"

_Silence._

"What I'll say will risk the lives of your loved ones. Do you still want to know?"

The officer immediately thought of his wife at home. A shiver went down his spine as he imagined someone attacking Sato- san in her sleep.

"Leave it then..." he said and got busy with the files. He typed 'Mouri Ran' in the search box.

_He wants Mouri-san's file. Why? After all these years? Risking lives? What was this case really about?_

Deep in his heart he knew that this case wasn't just a kidnapping case. He glanced at the high-school detective.

_Who is he?_

Conan fished out a flash-drive.

"Tagaki- san, copy it."

"It's a felony! Are you stealing from the H.Q? If you come in the morning I'll gladly show.."

"Copy it, Tagaki-san."

"….." he clicked on copy.

Tagaki sulked hard. Conan was making him commit a crime. He was tensed. The ticking of the wall clock, his shallow breathing, Conan's shallow breathing, the mouse's click. He scanned every sound, searching the sounds of any nearing footfall.

But seeing her name, he was immediately reminded of the brave girl who had accompanied him in several cases. He was fond of Mouri-san. He had a strong urge to know Conan's plan. So risking his wife at home he asked again.

"Tell me bout it."

"You sure?"

Tagaki nodded.

"First, I'd like to apologize for deceiving you all..."

_What is he talking about?_

"...the truth is that..."

_What in the world is he talking about?_

"...I'm an undercover Interpol agent, Tagaki-san. My name is Kudou Shinichi."

**How was that? better? anyone who read it, please review!**

**sayounara...till next chapie.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the inconveniences and confusion, but here's an edited version. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: Missing bud.

_"I'm an undercover Interpol agent, Tagaki-san. My name is Shinichi Kudou."_

_Conan Edogawa is Shinichi Kudou!_

It had been half an hour since they had departed their ways. But he still couldn't get that line out of his head. He wondered why he was so shocked about it. A 'shrunken' teen eluding the whole world…nonsense! But true! For Tagaki the possibility of 'shrinking' a body was itself absurd! He was shocked…and surprised. But the worse thing was that it had shattered his pride as a policeman. He'd always noticed their similarities as Conan had grown up.

Everybody had known it too. It was just that their logic didn't agree with them. Everybody had found a trivial excuse to reason their doubts.

Some people thought –

_That can't be possible….anyway they say that there are at least three people in this world have the same face…_

Others thought –

_Of course they'll look similar…they're cousins after all…._

So that's how it was.

Truth was right before them but ignorance blinded them.

After all without the glasses, Clark Kent was really Superman.

Tagaki stared at the ceiling thinking about the information Shinichi Kudou had given him.

_Ran's kidnapping was gang-related._

Not an ordinary gang, but an international underworld organization. And Kudou was fighting alone in a midget's body. He felt a little embarrassed when he remembered how he used to act with the 'innocent-looking' Conan-kun. He was totally off-guard when with him. So was everybody.

When Sato woke up, it was almost three in the morning. She grumbled at the nightmare that had woken her up. She did want someone to accompany her now, but she didn't want to wake her husband up. She turned around wishing her husband was awake. Fortunately he was. With worry on his brow.

The blanket stirred and Tagaki found Sato staring at him with a smile on her face. He immediately soothed his worried face and put on a smile.

"What's wrong?" Sato asked worried. She put on the expression Tagaki had a few seconds ago.

Now Tagaki had a dilemma. He could say the truth. He mentally shivered at what Kudou-san had told him. He could lie. But he decided to go with half-truth.

"I was thinking about Mouri-san's case…you know, today is the day she…." He gulped, "…disappeared."

They both hated to use the word 'die' and 'Mouri-san' in the same sentence.

"Ran-chan was a good girl…."

"I know..."

"Were you checking her file?" she said eyeing his slippers on the floor.

Tagaki followed her gaze, and sweat-dropped. Apparently he had worn he wrong slippers as he'd entered the house after meeting Kudou-san. He couldn't lie on this.

"Yea…I just think that we are missing a big chunk of something important."

She nodded. Hadn't she had this feeling before? Like something was wrong. The missing ransom note explained that. Sato hated the way things had turned out. She was filled with sadness, anger, but most of all regret. Despite being in the department, she couldn't help much. All she did was give fake consolidations to the broken down Eri-san. She clenched up her fists. And cried. They had watched, as her parents desperately pasted flyers, and went to check every corpse that showed up.

"Sato-san! You don't have to cry." Tagaki hugged her gently. He wished he could console her with what info he had received. But he knew the consequences.

"But we couldn't do anything…"Sato reminded him.

He didn't answer. He just hugged her closer.

**Six years after Ran's kidnapping.**

**25th of December.**

**Denali****, Alaska****.**

The winds shrieked outside her self-made shelter. Alaskan winters could kill even major survivors. There lay before her the frozen corpse of a moose. Her stomach was growling. Her bones were freezing.

_Too cold._

But she had to wait till dawn. Fire meant light. Light meant signal. With _**her**_ around, she couldn't risk to blow her cover. So she decided to wait till dawn to light fire. She rubbed her arms for friction. This was the first Christmas she was spending alone. She remembered all her dear ones and wished for their happiness. She wondered if anyone was doing the same for her.

_Negative._

A sound alerted her.

She grabbed her rifle…..but too late. There, almost three yards away, at the mouth of the shelter, a wolverine's head peeked at her. It sniffed the air and sensing the corpse, it entered.

The woods-devil is a lethal creature. Shaped both like the wolf and the bear. Hunter and scavenger. Lethal, slightly-curved claws. Its small size fooled people. But the girl knew better. Keeping the carcass with her was.

But it was her only food source ….the blizzard could last days. She realised she had only two options:-

1) Starve to death.

2) Fight the wolverine off the carcass.

Wolverines are known to fight _bears _off the carcass.

She could feel the adrenaline heat her up as she chose the second option. It was surprising what adrenalin could do to the body. Where was the cold now? The pain her bones were in? All she felt was rippling energy to fight.. Her muscles were all warmed up. Ready for anything that was to come. Her heart thumped wildly as she heard his feet shuffling in the snow as he came towards her.

The rifle was useless at close range. As she ran, she shuffled for a close range weapon.

_An ice-pick._

She cursed at her luck, but decided to try despite it being bad. She just had the slightest chance…just as thick as hair. She gained distance and tightened her grip around the handle.

Then the wolverine flung itself at her and she fell down. Then a second later, she could feel its teeth sink into her right leg. A tear almost broke out. Her shrieks were mixed with the shrieks of the wind. Then her ice-pick hit his neck.

_But his grip didn't loosen._

She hit again…and again…and again…..until she lost count. Then she decided to give her last effort. She gathered everything she had; took Kami's name and struck the woods-devil right on its head.

Then it fell dead. The snow splattered with blood.

The girl heard claps behind her. Turning back she saw _**her**_, coming towards her with a friendly arm extended for help.

"Congratulations, you've won." _**She**_ said.

Forgetting the chilling weather and the pain in her leg, she smiled with triumph and took _**her**_ hand.

_I must have dozed off…._ Thought Haibara, because when she opened her eyes Shinichi Kudou was suddenly there in his study. She peeked to see Ran's file in the screen of his laptop_. Madness…_ she thought.

"You stole from the head quarters?"

No answer. Just clicking and scrolling.

"Hey Kudou-kun...what was inside that parcel?"

No answer...

Haibara Ai, suddenly found herself doubting Shinichi Kudou's, friend and ally, sanity.

"Haibara, why did you come back? After all these years." He asked. He didn't know what to think. He felt both angry and grateful. Angry because a week after Ran's disappearance, Haibara had disappeared too. She left him when he needed the pills the most. Grateful because her reappearance meant the reappearance of an ally.

Haibara herself didn't know the answer to his question. After having been warned by Rouge, it was best if she'd stayed there in America. She searched for the most plausible reason. Surprisingly he spoke first.

"You haven't been forgiven, Haibara."

"I know." She had left for his benefit…. "I came back to say the Organisation is moving again."

"There was Ran's cell phone inside that parcel." He said.

_Of course he'd believe that she's alive….to the point of insanity._

She knew this all along that Mouri-san's death meant the death of his heart. But this was the first time she was seeing how it had affected him.

She immediately disengaged her mind from that matter.

"I found the anti-dote."

"There's no reason for Shinichi Kudou to come back, is there?" There was sadness in his voice. Haibara sighed.  
Then he returned to being a zombie...

_Click Click_  
_Scroll Scroll_

She decided to debrief him despite his state of oblivion

"I started getting letters about seven months ago. They had various information about the Organisation. I did what I could do, I panicked. But eventually I regarded the sender as an ally. I didn't care who gave it. as long as the letters kept coming.  
But a week ago, he wrote something was brewing up in Japan, so following that I came here."

"And this happened!" he pointed aggressively to the screen, "Ran's case reopened. They are targeting me again! This time I will not shrink back and wait!"

"It can be a trap."

"Let me fall into it."

There was a long moment of silence. They reflected on each others words. Finally Haibara spoke.

"Don't count on me to spring you, Kudou-kun. I'm leaving." She walked slowly towards the main door, leaving her friend staring at the screen.

** Shinichi's P.O.V**

…and Haibara left. I think I could've been more hospitable-

Ring

Ring

Ring

This was supposed to be a cheerful tone. But hearing it now was…unexpected, horrifying.

Ran's cell-phone was ringing.

I nervously glanced at the unknown number.

"Moshi Moshi."

"How was the gift, Silver bullet?" said an ultra-feminine voice.

My stomach churned uneasily..

"Vermouth…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Konichi-wa minna-san. Here's chap 3..**

**How about dropping some reviews today?(^3^)**

**Chapter 3:** Rouge

Time seemed to be in slow-mo. He was there in the hotel's underground parking lot as vermouth had instructed. And there was a 'new black Porsche'. And there he lay in ambush for Gin. Ready. Ignition on. Lights off. But Vermouth could be lying about this….

It could be anyone's Porsche ….

But something made him stay.

Some hours ago…

"Vermouth." His voice was harsh. Almost a growl.

A wind-chime laugh was given as a reply.

"You remember me well!"

"I'll remember you even if I die!" his head throbbed with wrath. That vile creature was at the other end of the line. Ran's kidnapper was vermouth!

"Where's Ran?"

"It seems that you are losing your edge, Silver Bullet. This isn't Ran's cell phone. I just sent you a fake."

The detective stared at the piece of technology. Vermouth was speaking the truth.

"Why did you send it?"

Another wind-chime laugh.

"So that you'd refresh your memories."

"I remember well enough!"

"Then you must remember Gin. If you trust me, I'll lead you to him."

Shinichi could imagine the evil smirk playing on her lips as she said these words to him.

"Why would you turn in your subordinate?"

"If you've been vigilant in the past few years, then you must have heard that I am supposedly dead. Gin was the one who caused that accident. Now you know why I'm after his life."

"….."

"If you trust me come to Exotica's underground parking lot. You'll see a new black Porsche. You…"

"Don't expect me to go there!"

Then the call had ended. He called up Tagaki. Tagaki agreed to come willingly, but had a tough time convincing his wife.

Now here was he….waiting. No sign of Gin…..he wondered if his Mitsubishi could catch up with a Porsche if Gin went for a run…

Ran's (fake) cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

Change of plan.

Come to the rooftop.

_That bitch is bossing me around…._

Vermouth may as well be playing with him! But what the detective didn't know was that the text sent by vermouth was about to save his life.

_X_

_Three steps at a time …three steps at a time!_

That was what the detective was doing. The services of the elevator didn't cover the rooftop. Somehow, as Shinichi Kudou had ascended up the building, his anxiousness had frantically risen.

Now he was flying through stairs, his heart thumping in his ears. But something kept him going…

Finally reaching the door he slowed. He touched the butt of his gun…and the adrenaline surged through him.

What was he to do if Vermouth wasn't lying?

If Gin was on the other side?

But he was prepared wasn't he? The teen took out his gun which he had readied on the elevator.

He would simply kill Gin.

After all, Gin didn't deserve any less.

But Shinichi knew, it was his own selfishness that had decided what Gin deserved. If he had been the way he was before Ran left, he'd be fine with sending him to jail. But now he was messed up. Twisted…

He grinned to himself and pulled back his bangs. He wished for Gin to be on the other side of this door and quietly turned the knob.

_ I wish….._

-X-

**Rouge's P.O.V.**

I immediately thought of Vermouth when saw his figure emerge from the door. She must have informed him.

Shinichi Kudou, with his gun ready.

His eyes instantly lay on the dying man. Then his dark blue eyes searched the darkness. He did not see me, but I felt a shiver as his eyes momentarily rested on mine. Then he went over the man, and checked his pulse. He was alive, of course. I saw him dial the ambulance. It was okay. If everything had gone according to my plan then the ambulance was about to arrive anyway….so was the police. I weighed my decisions and took my chances of talking with him. I should keep safe distance, since Vermouth had said it was dangerous for me to come near him. He was busy tearing he shirt and using it as bandages. I used his concentration to walk up to him. I walked all the way till I could see back rising and falling with each breath. I could even hear his harsh breath….he must've ran up the stairs….

I rested the barrel of my gun at the back of his head. This position hid me from view. After all Vermouth had said that he must absolutely not see me.

He jerked his head up in defiance.

"No movements, Kudou." He did as I instructed. I could imagine the turn of thoughts in his head. I think he already figured out my name. But none-the-less I decided to introduce myself.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Rouge, Haibara's 'anonymous informer'." My plan was to keep him here until Gin fell inside my trap. I jerked his hand making his weapon fall. It landed three yards away.

"There is no need for that." I said. I glanced at my watch. What was taking it so long? Where was Gin anyway?

"Let me stop his bleeding." He begged. Kudou… saving murderers, huh?

Our conversation was interrupted by a loud explosion that shook the building.

Yup…that's my cue…..

My cell vibrated.

"He escaped."

"Then the explosion?"

"It was the smuggler's partner."

"Trace Gin."

"That's what I am doing."

I was suddenly conscious of a car's purring engine in the background.

End call.

That was typical of Gin to evade us. Last time I-

I noticed that Shinichi Kudou's head was at a dangerous angle. In fact I could see his lashes. Another degree and he'd see my face…

"No movements, boy." I demanded, more harsher than last time. I forced my gun in his head, "that smarty-pants Haibara tried to trace me for seven months without success. How did you even think…"

"Was Gin here?" he cut me off.

"He escaped. But next time I'll…"

"He's not yours to kill!"

"Nor he is yours!" How disregarding of him! I existed just to wipe off people like them from this face of earth.

How disappointing! I wanted to engage in more conversation but sadly I could hear the sirens nearing….that was my cue to leave him.

"We'll see more of each other." I promised and stepped back. He turned towards me but I was already undercover of darkness. A cheerful ringtone schoed in the air. He took out an old-model cell phone, read a text and departed. Vermouth …that old hag!

I realised that I was soaked. In the heat of the conversation, I hadn't noticed when the fog had turned into a quiet drizzle. I smiled at the eventful conversation. This was just the beginning. I smiled into the night thinking of the organisation's destruction. Yes this was just the beginning…

Tagaki took sometime to evaluate what had happened. He was in, what we call, a trance. His ears were ringing. And ringing. And ri-

"Officer! Take out your arm." His state of stupor was finally broken by the paramedics order. Looking at his expression and hearing the irritation in his voice, he could make out that this wasn't the first time the paramedic had shouted this instruction. He hastily did as told. The paramedic dabbed red antiseptic in his cuts. He winced at the pain.

He looked up to see a furious Megure glaring at him.

"What happened?" he boomed.

Tagaki tried recalling….what had actually happened?

He was instructed by Kudou to be at the underground parking lot. He was entering it when an explosion had flung him three feet across. He was lucky to escape with only cuts and bruises. But Kudou's Mitsubishi…

"Were you poking your nose in other's business?" he thundered.

Tagaki was framing lies in his mind when a phone call saved him.

Megure frowned at the call.

"Megure speaking!"

His frown immediately turned into a surprised mask. He answered just 'Yes' and 'Hmm'. And as n as the call ended he instructed the medics to hurry to the rooftop. Tagaki could smell an interrogation session coming up.

"What is going on here?" the inspector eyed him suspiciously.

Tagaki hoped Kudou would show up in time to save him from all the questions.

**How about that? if you find it insufficient in any way, leave a complain, pleeeaaassseee?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Konichi-wa Minna-san. Here, I uploaded another chappie (though a little late). Enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 4: **Invitation.

Now what could he do? Megure stared at Tagaki through the one way glass. Tagaki, to Megure's dismay had remained silent through out the interrogation. It was morning already. He 'humphed'. What secret was Tagaki holding? The blast wasn't a usual one. A body was inside. Some cash and more than dozens of firearms which was undoubtedly illegal. What about the man in the terrace? He would live the doctors said. Was Tagaki going solo? What about Conan-kun? He'd said he would explain this case later but he hadn't turned up. He rubbed his chin. The more he thought, the messier it became.

Then an officer called him to his office.

'It is urgent' the officer had said. What could it be? The inspector wondered. 'Someone' had come to meet him. As he opened the door he heard a very familiar voice.

"Long time no see Megure." The man strode forward to shake hands with him. The inspector failed to respond immediately. He felt like an idiot.

"Shinichi Kudou!" he exclaimed. He took his hand. It felt like touching a ghost. He remembered Mouri-san's case. The inspector shivered a little.

"I request you to leave Tagaki. He was only acting behalf of me."

The inspector looked at him suspiciously.

"An agenda hidden from the local police?"

Megure understood that the detective was very uncomfortable with the topic.

"I understand."

"I can't give an explanation of the incident but please leave the case to the Interpol."

At that the inspector knew that the case was messier than he thought.

Conan stealthily entered the interrogation room. In fact, so stealthily that the officer in guard jumped a little when Conan suddenly appeared before him.

"I'm here to take Tagaki-san out." The guard doubted his statement…according to Megure-san, Tagaki was here for a serious actions….

"Officer?" Conan questioned, wide-eyed. _Surely a kid wouldn't lie right?_

"Ok.." saying this he left the room.

"What in the world were you doing?" a rather agitated Tagaki greeted the teen. After all for Tagaki it was torture to sit in the interrogation room with Megure at the other end of the table. And it all happened because he'd agreed on Conan's term.

"I apologize, Tagaki-san. I came here to 'spring' you." Tagaki sensed that Shinichi was still in 'Conan' mode. He knew that someone was watching them.

"Actually not me…..but Shinichi nii-san. He's waiting outside."

Tagaki stared at Conan with confused eyes. What the hell did it mean? He didn't comment on the strangeness of the sentence but went on to see what Conan actually meant.

And found that he'd literally meant it.

"Tagaki, I'm leaving you on this one." Keibu said gravely. But the grim set of his mouth melted to a smile, "Here we have a junior saving your sorry ass!" he said nudging Shinichi. The detective gave a nervous laugh.

As for Tagaki, he just gaped between Conan and Shinichi. Megure could sense something passed between him and Conan. The inspector disregarded it as trivial matter at the moment, but it would remain as a ghost at the back of his mind.

He accompanied them till the elevator. Shinichi and Conan-kun were actively participating in conversation. But Tagaki just walked, with a confused expression on his face. Then his expression after a few minutes was that of disbelief. Megure couldn't make out anything from it, but he suspected that it was something about the mysterious case.

"….ne, Tagaki-san?" the teen suddenly broke Tagaki from his reverie. The officer didn't have a cue what he was asking but he answered it anyway.

"Hai."

Then he went back to his thinking.

Conan suspected, or rather knew, Tagaki's line of thought…..he was probably trying to figure, or had already figured out who this "Shinichi Kudou" was. The teen sighed. It would be troublesome to convince Tagaki.

Megure could make out that Tagaki was very anxiously waiting for the elevator to close. He saw his face angle towards Conan even before the doors fully closed.

"Conan-kun! I never thought that you'd…."

The drop of the elevator wasn't the only thing that was giving Conan a bad feeling.

"Come on Tagaki-san! Let's forget stale enmity." The 'Shinichi' smirked at Tagaki before Conan could explain. "Did you think that I'd let you all forget this thief!" he said his thumb pointing himself.

"Conan-kun I can't believe that you ASKED FOR HIS HELP!" the officer pointed at the thief. Koruba was really useful at times, especially where 'Shinichi Kudou' was needed. The teen sighed again.

Troublesome indeed.

The next hour Conan spent convincing Tagaki to keep silent about involvement of Kaitou-kid in case the Interpol higher-ups asked him anything in the future. Between this, the thief snuck out from Shinichi's apartment because that's where they had stationed themselves.

Tagaki returned home after that, hoping that he hadn't offended his wife with his extended absence. Though the number of missed calls stated that it would be just the opposite.

The following week was rather boring. It left Shinichi bored and anxious at the same time. He stopped attending school. That worried his classmates. He could feel his nerves tense every time he opened his mailbox in his everyday routine. He thoroughly despised relying on vermouth for information. His emails were of no use either. All he'd received was a worried note from Ayumi-chan on his first day of absence. Then, like a loyal friend she relayed the proceedings of his class everyday. Then there was Mitsuhiko and Genta, who was trying hard to make Conan interested in a new student who had joined school in the second day of his absence. In their attempts, they'd even sent a picture, which must have been secretly taken, judging the angle of the photograph. It was a red and blue blur. All Conan could make out was that the girl had red hair. But after a few attempts, even they stopped bothering him. They feared he'd never love anyone else other than his sister. Lastly there was an invitation for a birthday party from Ryu Tanaka. If he could recall correctly then she was the victim of the kidnapping case that took place about two months ago. He remembered the tragedy of her family. It was sad to think how greed could manipulate a person to harm his own niece. But something was really odd about the case. The thug paid to kidnap the girl was still missing.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the second day of the second week greeted Shinichi with an email, a much awaited email. The detective grinned at the screen.

**Attend the birthday party.**

It said.

Vermouth may be a bitch but all Shinichi could do was bear it and trust her.

The phone had been ringing for a very long time. Well, call be damned! Chianti had important matters to attend to. This wasn't her apartment anyway…

She cleaned and packed her tools of trade.

Eye-piece.

Extra magazines.

Night visions.

Check, check and double check.

She had made that grievous fault.

'_But,'_ she thought smirking, as the bloodlust made its way, _'that could be erased_.' Tanaka Satoushi had betrayed her. But his son was going to pay for that. She looked at the mirror and found a long haired brunette staring back. She wasn't so good in disguise like Vermouth. _Ex-Vermouth._ She rectified herself with glee. She didn't go well with her anyway. She blessed her killer, which, her instincts told her, was Gin. But there wasn't any evidence to support that theory.

_It was a clean kill._

She looked at herself again, then at the photograph. Something was missing. Ah! A tear mark under the left eye. She quickly corrected the fault and exited the apartment as Watanabe Hana – cleaning crew member of Eden villa.

Rouge's P.O.V.

…and Vermouth was laughing. I glared at her.

"Vermouth" I said sternly. Nothing had changed her. Nothing was going to change her.

Here she lay in the couch, in my apartment, laughing while she was supposed to be following gin's movement. I gave her another glare.

For all this I wasn't angry. I was angry for this….

"I advice you cancel the invitation." I repeated again. I'd come to know that she'd invited Shinichi Kudou to the place where I'd be hunting. I knew exactly what Vermouth was planning. She was trying to force me to work with Shinichi Kudou.

"_That _won't be happening, _dear_" she said in a purr and laughed again. I flinched at the word _dear_.

"I've been waiting to test your compatibility with him for a while now." she continued after her hysterical laughter.

"I won't work with him." My fists clenched tighter. What was Vermouth thinking!

"He's an Interpol agent, for god's sake!" I threw my gloves angrily beside Vermouth. She looked at me with amusement.

"You don't lose your temper easily, you know?"

I noticed it and calmed myself.

"Let him join us." She said smiling. She reminded me of a snake. Venomous and unpredictable. I needed Shinichi Kudou out of this. I knew Vermouth wasn't going to help me. And I knew exactly what to do. I was going to hit where it hurt him most.

"Whatever you say, but I won't work with him." it was too risky. I didn't even wait for Vermouth to speak. I was getting late. I'd to reach Eden before Chianti.

**It's a little small than I expected.**

**It doesn't hurt to leave a tinne-winne review right? Please review. _/\_**


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